Tens of thousands of protesters joined rallies today as a day of worldwide demonstrations calling for action against climate change began ahead of a United Nations Summit in New York.

Some of the first rallies in what is being billed as a global climate strike were held in Australia’s largest city, Sydney and the national capital, Canberra.

More than three lakh Australian demonstrators called for their nation to take more drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Australia is the world’s largest exporter of coal and liquid natural gas. In the United States, more than 800 events were planned, while in Germany more than 400 rallies were expected.

In New Delhi, one of the world’s most polluted cities, dozens of students and environmental activists chanted slogans for climate action at a rally outside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.